Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Africa Flying into Windhoek for first-time PG Hunter

I've heard that bringing firearms into Africa through Germany is easier than from any other international entry point, but I'm having trouble understanding why it would matter if all my flights are connecting and coming from the US.

The itinerary I'm looking at has me flying from Jacksonville to Dulles to JFK to Johannesburg, then on to Windhoek. In other words, my intermediate stops are all in the U.S., so how could coming through Germany benefit me?

I'll be traveling with two rifles in a single Pelican 1750. Anyone with experience in this regard have any advice? Thanks.

Chris

Depending on your specific circumstances, flying through RSA (even if you're just transitting) with firearms can be a pain. Most hunters headed to Namibia prefer to go the Frankfurt route because Air Namibia flies directly to Windhoek and by-passes RSA completely. Also, LTU/Air Berlin flies directly from Munich.

RSA requires people travelling with firearms to get either a temporary importation permit if you're hunting there or a slightly different permit (not sure what they call it exactly) if you have a connecting flight to another country. For a first-timer, these forms can be somewhat confusing. A lot of folks fill this form out as much as they can (there are a couple of things you have to complete in the presence of SAPS) before-hand but an awful lot of hunters also hire a service to do this paperwork for them. This will cost you a few extra bucks (around $100 or so) but will save a lot of time as well. Looking at your itinerary, you may have to go through this process twice as it looks like you enter RSA on two seperate occasions. (Your itinerary seems a little odd to me: Can't you fly directly to Jo-burg from Dulles?)

It might not be stopping in Germany per se but the carriers and connections which often are utilized in that route.

E.G., I took Lufthansa from Chicago to Frankfurt and transferred to Air Namibia for the leg to Windhoek. The two carriers have a luggage and firearms transfer arrangement which bypasses customs points. Your firearms never have to be checked in or out at Frankfurt. I spent fifteen minutes clearing my firearms upon arrival at Windhoek. My agent had sent me the Namibia Police Report to fill out prior to my arrival, which expedited matters considerably.

Hope this helps.

My agent booked us through Minn, Chicago, to Frankfurt, to Windhoek, stating J'berg and Amsterdam, and London could be problematic. It went smooth as silk. However, I met Mark Kaiser, an outdoor writer, in Windhoek as I was leaving. His connection with a bunch of Rem people was through J'burg and was full of hassle to the point they lost almost three days of their trip. FWIW.

Same here, Houston-Frankfurt-Windhoek. Had the Namibia gun paper work filled out ahead of time. Also went as smooth as silk.

rej

Three of us flew into Joburg for a SAA connecting flight into Windhoek; they managed to loose all but 1 gun case.
Two days latter after many phone calls and messages the rest of the gear did show up, fortunately we'd allowed for a few days of sight seeing.
Talking to the hotel staff in Windkoek and our PH not an uncommon event.
Would I fly SAA or go thru Joburg airport agian, not likely!

In 2002 some friends and I hunted South Africa. One of the friends had a flighgt itinerary in the U.S. similar to yours, with at least two plane changes before he got to JFK.

It turned out his gun case did not make it to JFK on the same flight he did, and instead went to Joberg two days later--when he was already in camp. It just sat in Joberg for two weeks while lots of people supposedly looked for it. Eventually he got it back but only after he was back in the U.S.

It is getting to be a nightmare to bring guns through Joberg anymore, unless you hire one of the expediting services. Even then I will be quite happy never to travel through the place again.

I'd say the same as JB...especially since somebody mentioned a passenger in transit even has to fill out their paperwork..
Last time through a porter-in cahoots with the "Police" on site managed to extort a few extra bucks out of me...implying that my guns just might not make it on to the next flight...
Kinda like what happened in JBs story above..

Ingwe

I vote for Frankfurt which is the route I took to Namibia. When I flew from Namibia to Zimbabwe thru Joberg my guns made it. On the return trip all my bags were lost. My duffle showed up in a few days but my guns were lost for several weeks.

Also, the Joberg airport was a nightmare and required security clearance again. After I cleared security, I asked a security person for directions which prompted a pat-down and a backpack search.

When I got to Windhoek, the security person ordered me to remove my security wallet which required that I strip to the waist exposing my less-than-perfect torso.

Also in Windhoek, the airline sent me to a customs desk but the official was on break and no one was in the office. The official had left his AK-47 lying on the desk so he wouldn't have to lug it around.

What fun!

As the saying goes, TIA! (This is Africa!)

One thing I grew really weary of in Joberg was not just the constant outflow of money just to get through a public facility (whether the money was in bribes or pay to a facilitator) but the repetition of hauling all the rifles out so yet another "official" could check everything. Which is why I am not going back through Joberg again this June when I return to Africa....

OK, y'all are making me a nervous wreck. I've already paid for my tickets to Namibia. Going from Dulles to Joberg to Windhoek. Booked this through Cabelas at their recommendation. One reason according to their agent is what is apparently an on going problem that another poster had about getting his guns back from Windhoek. I guess I'll use the transfer service and hope for the best.

Windhoek is a small airport with a small security office. The same official who checked my guns into Namibia, recognized me and smiled as he checked me out. My impression is there is much less chance of getting you guns lost, misplaced, or hung up in this airport.

If you can I'd rethink, and reschedule that J'burg connection if you can. The way to treat inefficiency, corruption, and unnecesary hassles in a place is to avoid it and not give it any business-capitalism, I think they call it.

We hunted in RSA this past Sept, so came through Joberg. twice. I will tell you you will need some change to make it through with no hassel...about $20 in Rand should do fine. Hand it out accordingly. Porters a few bucks, airport security a few more, and then thank them for their "help". Should you not thank and pay them up front, they will ask.. We learned fast, in particular when your guns and ammo are on their side of the counter, and you have another flight to catch! The TIP moneys worked, as the guns and ammo arrived on the same plane.
Can`t think what the World Cup will do for tipping in SA this year...maybe 20 will not be enough.

Good Luck

It will cost me nearly $1000 to rebook. I checked. My first time over. I've had friends go and they've all told me about the corruption. Kind of wishing I'd gone through Germany now.

Friend it is not that big of a hassle, just returned and have done it several years in a row. There is a good discussion on this issue at the "Hunting Report" on line. Find & Fill in a copy of the SAP form and have copies of passport and letter of invitation from your PH. Prepare this ahead of time. When you get off of the plane collect your luggage. Go to the end of the luggage claim, ask for your firearms. They will be sent to the SA police firearms office. They will check your guns and issue permits. On your return trip insure that your guns are checked all the way back to the US and you have no problems. Email me at 1excaliburprodigy.net if you have more questions. You can also use one of the expeditor firms that are at the airport if you need to, but it is not necessary.

I appreciate the offer. I have the forms now, but I don't leave until July. If I have questions, I may take you up on your kind offer.

No problem, it will be a piece of cake, only problem may be the sheer volume of people attending at that time. BTW you may want to book a room at the Afton Guest house to overnight in Joberg after that onerous flight. Then collect you stuff and take the flight to Windhoek next morning. done it many times.

That's actually the plan. I booked this through Cabelas and they have us overnighting at a B&B. We should be able to hunt the following afternoon.

Ive been in and out of Windhoek Airport a dozen times...and there is significantly less corruption....little to none.
I did however have one occasion at customs there that started going really smoothly when I took a pack of Marlboros out of my pocket with my passport...and kinda "forgot" them on the counter...

Ingwe

dont forget to have a hard plastic locking container for the ammo as well